The last song is "Wonder" by Shawn Mendes. The tone of it has such an uplifting draft that sounds hopeful, and even a little bit freeing, and every time I hear it now I think of "the after" of this story specifically.

EPILOGUE

Six Years Later

"Baaabe?"

"What?"

"Have you seen my wallet?"

"It's in the last place you left it."

Asahi rolled his eyes to himself, halfway buried in the junk drawer in the kitchen of their new apartment. He shuffled around homeless screws, batteries, junk mail, pens, and bendy straws, but there was no wallet to be found. That wasn't necessarily a surprise, but sometimes Kisumi dropped things there that Asahi had misplaced, to make it easier for him to find.

"I left it on the dresser in the bedroom," he shouted back, voice carrying across the apartment to reach Kisumi in the bathroom.

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure."

"And yet it's not there is it?"

"If it was, I wouldn't be asking you."

He could've sworn he heard the strain of humor in Kisumi's voice when he called back, "Check your pockets."

Asahi automatically started patting himself down.

"From yesterday, baby."

He clicked his tongue, then snapped the drawer shut. He ventured back into the bedroom, tossed a couple of shirts off the top of the hamper pile, and extracted the jeans he'd been wearing the day before. He stuck his hand in the back pocket and sighed to himself with his eyes closed. Then he put everything back where it belonged and crossed the bedroom to lean against the bathroom doorway.

Kisumi was standing in front of the mirror, leaning over the sink as he used his fingers to rub moisturizer across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. His lavender eyes glanced up at Asahi's reflection and smirked when he held up his wallet between two fingers.

"Ah ha."

"Shut up."

"Maybe you should check your pockets first next time."

"I left it on the dresser."

"Sure you did. That's how it ended up in the same place it always is."

"I think you move it just to fuck with me."

Kisumi giggled. "I would never."

"You would never," Asahi repeated sarcastically. He dipped into the bathroom and scooped his arms under his boyfriend's.

Kisumi giggled some more as Asahi searched his neck with his lips, inhaling a mix of orange-scented shampoo and warm, spicy cologne. Asahi hummed, dragging his nose up Kisumi's skin and pressing a kiss to the very corner of his jaw.

"You smell delicious."

"Like Christmas, right?"

"Sure. I dunno. Yes. Com'ere."

He pulled Kisumi around by his waist, dropping his wallet next to the sink at the same time, and lapped up a series of deep exploring kisses from his lips. Kisumi hummed his approval, hands reaching up to cradle Asahi's jaw. His long body leaned and conformed with Asahi's embrace as he was pressed up against the edge of the counter, allowing his foot to leave the floor as Asahi pulled his knee up to his waist and ran his palm up and down the back of his thigh. Kisumi chuckled through his nose, even as he accepted the swirl of Asahi's tongue in his mouth.

"We're gonna be late," he mumbled between kisses.

Asahi broke away to pull Kisumi's wrist to eye-level and check his watch. "We have time," he said, guiding Kisumi's hand up and encouraging his fingers to slide through his hair, then he dipped back down and licked his way across Kisumi's jaw.

Kisumi breathed out a sigh of gratitude, automatically tilting his head to give Asahi free access to his neck. "I just finished my hair."

"I won't mess it up."

"You always mess it up."

"I'll help you put it back." He bucked his hips into Kisumi's and reveled in the shudder that followed.

"I already ironed your jacket," Kisumi moaned weakly as Asahi performed the action again.

Asahi held his arms out to the sides, and Kisumi obliged by carefully sliding the sports jacket off of his shoulders and leaning forward to reach around and hang it on the empty towel hook. They spent a long handful of seconds returning back to hot, hungry kisses, before Kisumi had anything else to say about it.

"Don't make me change my clothes again."

Asahi chuckled and took the liberty of pulling Kisumi's belt loose and unzipping his pants.

Ten minutes later, Kisumi's bare back was to Asahi, his palms pressing hard against the counter, his slacks bunched around his ankles, which he didn't seem to care about at the moment as he was too busy keening while Asahi thrust into him with abandon. Asahi's own clothes hadn't made it all the way off, but they'd at least gotten his shirt unbuttoned and his pants hanging low on his hips. He pressed his bare chest flush against Kisumi's back, holding firmly to the tops of Kisumi's thighs as his body vibrated and forced him to groan into Kisumi's neck between starving kisses.

"Oh fuck," he gasped, body rippling with a rush of chills.

One more spurt of rapid humping, and he was coming in his boyfriend's ass, skin prickling hot and cold, sweating, swept up in a tsunami of ecstasy, and then gently cradled back down by blissful exhaustion. He continued his series of kisses, lightly sucking on Kisumi's neck, careful not to leave any marks. He listened to Kisumi's broken, weighted breaths, while he allowed himself a moment to catch his own composure and absorb the moment, sinking into a state of peace so all-encompassing, it left him desiring nothing but to stay. To keep holding the warm body tucked against him, to keep kissing the time away, to keep breathing in this space made for just the two of them. He would have been perfectly happy if they never left the bathroom, but he was also perfectly happy knowing that, in a sense, this really never had to end, even if they did.

He pressed his lips to the top of Kisumi's spine, then turned him around again to lift him up onto the counter and tuck himself between his knees. Kisumi's breath was still heavy, and became heavier still as Asahi's mouth traced its way down his torso and teased his cock with methodical licks. Kisumi shivered, fingers gripping absently at Asahi's hair.

"We're going to be late," he groaned, even as his knees hugged Asahi's ribs.

Asahi pulled on his wrist again. "We have time," he mumbled, then kissed the base of Kisumi's shaft before taking the whole thing in his mouth.

"You're late."

Asahi draped an arm around Kisumi's shoulders as they walked up the sidewalk toward the building and the moderate crowd of people gathered outside of the front doors. He smiled pleasantly at Hiyori, who uncrossed his arms and fell in step with them on their way around the gathering.

"Depends on who you're asking."

"No one was asking," Hiyori said, pushing up his glasses. "It wasn't a question. You're late."

"Sorry, Hiyori," Kisumi said, tone dipped in just the right amount of genuine sorrow, and also not really sorry at all. "We got caught up"

Hiyori raised an eyebrow at him. "You always say that."

"Because it's always true," Asahi said. "And anyway, how can a man be late for the grand opening of his own business?"

"By being the last co-founder to arrive."

Asahi shrugged. "We couldn't all be first."

"Asahi! Kisumi!"

They looked up to Makoto waving at them from in front of the glass doors underneath an arch of balloons. He was in black slacks with a neatly tucked in white button down, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a forest green tie around his neck that made his eyes pop from a mile away. He should have been illegal.

Haru and Ikuya were standing on either side of him, dressed as casually as business investors could be.

"You're late," Ikuya said, the moment the three of them walked up.

"I know," Asahi said, waving it off. "You're fine. Nobody's dead yet."

"Just standing in the sun, waiting for hours."

"Haru, don't be so dramatic."

"He's just hungry," Makoto said lightly.

"Didn't you feed him this morning? That's not my fault."

Makoto giggled, and gestured to the crowd waiting on the other side of the giant red ribbon. "We should get started."

"Fine. Where's Genji-san and Hina-san?"

"They found your parents somewhere over there and went to talk to them," Ikuya said, pointing vaguely.

"Yikes." Asahi gave Kisumi a pat on the butt. "Kisumi, go get 'em."

Kisumi chuckled and shook his head. "No sir, you're not avoiding them today. If you're going to send me, you have to come too."

"Fine." He slapped the back of Makoto's thick arm. "Makoto, go get 'em."

Makoto lifted a foot to obey, but was immediately halted by Haru pinching at the back of his shirt. He stared Asahi down with unenthused blue eyes.

"Don't be such a baby."

"Go on," Hiyori said, giving his back a shove with the tips of his fingers. "You might as well bring them up to the front too."

Asahi scoffed and peered at his friends, none of whom were buying it, except for saintly Makoto, but Haru poked a finger at his lips to keep him from speaking. Asahi groaned, dramatically tossing his head as he slipped his arm around Kisumi's waist this time and held onto him tightly, begrudgingly walking away.

"Fine," he grumbled. "I will do everything myself."

"Grow a ball sack," Ikuya called out to his back.

Makoto squeaked. "Ikuya! Family-friendly."

They passed by a lot of familiar faces as they weaved through the crowd, which of course involved a lot of stopping and bowing, hugs and handshakes, "Thank you. Yes, we're very excited. So glad you could make it."

Pretty much everyone was there, including a much too grown Emi-chan and her mother, whom Asahi and Kisumi greeted with cheek-kisses and sent up to the front of the crowd. Yua and Ichika nearly buried them with squeals, and they were delighted to be introduced to Ichika's new girlfriend, then all agreed to go out for lunch next week. Kisumi spent a good long moment giggling into Rin and Sousuke's shoulders as they hugged him between them and mumbled things in his ears. And Asahi was not at all bothered with taking his time finding their parents, so he didn't interrupt, and was more than fine wasting a moment chatting with Gou, Rei, and Nagisa. And funny enough, the moment Kisumi fell back to his side, Asahi spotted the top of his father's deep red hair and immediately turned on his heel to retreat in the opposite direction. But Kisumi's arm was hooked around his already, and he pulled him back around without really even letting him get anywhere.

"Asahi, come on now. You've got to get over it. They're trying their best."

"They're best could be better."

"Sure it could, but that's what patience is for." He patted Asahi's arm, then dragged his fingers consolingly up and down his sleeve as he pressed a kiss to his jaw. "My Asahi is so brave," he muttered into his ear.

Asahi pinched his lips and gave him a peering side-eye. "And?"

"And kind, and understanding, and strong, and forgiving …"

"Don't use that word."

"But you are, because you love them, and that's why you invited them."

Asahi scoffed, his insides resisting as Kisumi led them forward. "That doesn't mean I was going to talk to them."

"Yes it does. Look, Obaachan's here too."

Indeed, as the crowd shifted and shuffled, Asahi's grandmother came into view, leaning on a cane, but looking as strong as ever, and he didn't miss the small detail of her deliberately standing between his parents, who were already hovering far enough away from each other, but passively so. Asahi's sister, nephew, and brother-in-law were also there, as were Katsumi and Kisumi's parents, all very happily chatting with one another.

It was still weird, watching his family interact with Kisumi's family as though they were all one large unit, and he supposed that was his and Kisumi's fault for insisting that they were in love with each other, but also, he entirely blamed Kisumi for every single one of the chaotic family dinners and holidays spent together, which Kisumi claimed were getting better and insisted that Asahi needed to humble up a little bit and stop trying to exclude his parents from. (Even though it was their fault that the get-togethers were ever chaotic or awkward to begin with.)

"Ah ha," Genji said, spotting them first with a toothy smile. "The other man of the hour."

Asahi allowed himself to get wrapped up in greeting hugs from Kisumi's family first, while Tsukushi snuck around and jumped on Kisumi's back, sending them both into giggles. They made their rounds, saying hello and giving hugs to everyone individually, except that Asahi rooted himself to his grandmother's side after kissing her cheek, and faced his parents squarely without moving out to greet either one of them, though he did eye them very sternly while they gazed back sheepishly.

"Is this going to be a problem today?" he asked outright, to which they both eagerly shook their heads and accidentally exchanged glances.

"No."

"No, not at all."

"We promise to behave," his mother said, placing a hand over her chest.

"Scout's honor," his dad followed, drawing out an X over his heart with a finger. He smiled. They both did, and Asahi was not impressed, but he gave a side glance to his grandmother who nodded.

"They've been very good this morning," she said.

He pursed his lips, then glanced over at Kisumi, who was caught up in a conversation with Akane and his own parents. Tsukushi was still on his back, chin digging into his shoulder, and Kisumi's arms were tucked under his knees, holding him there as though it was completely natural, which, at this point, it was. Asahi looked back to his parents.

"If you have any passive-aggressive comments to make about my man, you'd better spit them out now."

His father held up his palms in surrender and took a submissive step back. He'd never really been the problem anyway. His mother was the one who bit her lip and squinted, as though resisting the temptation to take Asahi up on that offer.

It wasn't about Kisumi personally. She'd just been dead-set on Asahi having a wife since he was born and didn't seem to have it in her to let go of that. She'd at first insisted that Asahi was just going through a phase, but when he set her straight about never intending to leave Kisumi's side, she'd settled with the occasional passing comments about same-sex marriage not being fully legalized, how they'll never be able to have kids, deliberately being confused about how their relationship worked if Kisumi was one-thousand percent gay while Asahi claimed chaotically bi — those kinds of things. She usually made these comments or asked her questions very flippantly, as though she just had curious thoughts, but Asahi knew what she was getting at, and he never missed Kisumi's wince of discomfort during those conversations, and always told him later on that he was far too forgiving. But Kisumi wouldn't let him give up on his parents, kept insisting that they would come around in every respect of the phrase — with each other and with Asahi and Kisumi's relationship. Then he would remind Asahi that life was too short to hold grudges, and Asahi could never argue anything after that.

Today, his mother sucked in a large breath and smiled widely. "Today is about you, sweetheart. I'm here to support everything you choose to do with your life."

He sighed to himself somewhere internal, but gave in when she held her arms out for a hug. He slumped over and let her squeeze his shoulders and kiss his cheek, then switched sides and received his father's crushing hug as well.

"I'm proud of you, musuko," he said, holding him out at arms-length with a grin and a pat on his shoulder.

"Thanks," Asahi said, submitting to a nod.

Kisumi came over to actually greet Asahi's parents then, and Asahi suspected he'd been waiting for a signal that said it was safe to approach and there weren't going to be any disaster flare ups this time. Asahi watched his boyfriend bow politely to his mother and shake his father's hand, also receiving his own shoulder pat. It stiffened his gut with anxiety every time, but also, he never failed to be thoroughly impressed by, proud of, and one-hundred percent attracted to Kisumi's cordial way of forcing his parents to genuinely smile at him. Leaving this boy for any woman, who could never be even remotely as perfect for Asahi, would just be ridiculous.

"Oji!" Tsukushi exclaimed, running up to stuff his hand in Asahi's as they all finally started their way back toward the front of the crowd as a pack. "Mimi-oji-san said I could come spend the night with you guys tomorrow."

Asahi clicked his tongue and shot a look over his shoulder to Kisumi, who pretended to be too busy listening to his grandmother to notice. He rolled his eyes away, and scooped his nephew under his arm, still holding his hand as he pinned his head against his ribs.

"Did he now?" he said with a grin.

Tsukushi made a dramatic dying noise. "Crushing me!"

"Well, if you're coming over tomorrow, I'd better tell Kisumi to make your favorite squid and pumpkin soup."

"Ew, no, not again!" Tsukushi giggled, trying to wiggle out of Asahi's hold.

"What?! I thought you looooved his soup. You specifically asked him to make it for you every time."

"No, I didn't! Mimi can't cook."

"Gasp! Excuse me," Kisumi spoke up suddenly. "What kind of trash talk is that?"

"Uh oh. You done it now, booger. Oji Mimi is very sensitive about his awful cooking that he'll only make for you. You should consider yourself lucky to get food poising from him. He absolutely refuses to cook for me."

Kisumi swatted at his arm. Asahi snickered, then let him steal Tsukushi out from under his arm and wrestle him with tickles. Tsukushi squirmed and squealed with giggles.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"

Kisumi hauled all ten-year's worth of boy up off the ground and hugged him to his chest, allowing him to latch onto him like a koala bear. Asahi liked to tease Kisumi about making himself age faster when he did that, because he was definitely going to throw his back out soon enough. But Kisumi insisted on spoiling Tsukushi with all the cuddles, and Tsukushi always accepted it gratefully.

"I forgive you," Kisumi said, kissing the boy on the head. "We'll go out for pizza."

"Yes," Tsukushi hissed with a fist pump.

Kisumi chuckled, somehow running a hand through the back of Tsukushi's hair, and the little one nuzzled his cheek into his shoulder in response, allowing himself to be coddled and carried like he was still a toddler. Kisumi smiled a soft, affectionate, slightly heartbreaking smile as he rested his own cheek against Tsukushi's hair and held onto him tightly — as though it was the last moment he'd get to cling to a loving little ten-year-old boy that size.

Asahi quietly rubbed a palm over Kisumi's lower back and kissed his hair. Nothing needed to be said about it.

They made it back to the giant ribbon. Kisumi released Tsukushi back to his mother, who made sure to give him and Asahi both kisses on the cheek one more time, her eyes glittering already as she looked her brother dead in the eye and whispered that she was proud of him. He allowed himself one last moment to hug her close, muttering in response, "I wouldn't be here without you, Nee-chan."

She squeezed him for all of half a second, then shoved him away and wiped at the corner of her eyes, now half glaring as she waved him on. "Go on now," she ordered grumpily. "Cut it out with that … making me emotional."

He snickered and joined his friends on the other side of the ribbon.

"Take your time," Ikuya mumbled under his breath.

Asahi sucked his teeth and shot him a look. "I'm ready now, Jesus. Like the building's going to fly away if we don't start at the exact right second."

"It's not a bickering day," Makoto said with a sweet smile aimed at them as he picked up a microphone. "We didn't put bickering on the calendar. We're friends … and adults."

"Some of us are," Hiyori muttered.

Asahi opened his mouth, rebuttal already well prepared, but Makoto shook his head and patted him on the back.

"No, that's okay. Are we ready?" His smile brightened all the more, almost threateningly so, and the rest of them conceded with nods. He relaxed and turned his attention to the crowd. "Good afternoon, everyone."

The side conversations died down, and the crowd turned their attention to him. The Tokyo soundtrack of city life continued on in the background, but on their little corner, Makoto's words were perfectly clear.

"Our apologies for the late start, but we want to truly thank all of you for being with us today for the grand opening of The Anchor Rehabilitation Center."

Everyone cheered — a small burst of energy that pierced through the sunlight and suddenly made it all real. Asahi caught his chest swelling a bit, eyes darting around at the faces of all their families and friends, and the people they'd met along the way to getting to this point. Then he glanced off to the side where Kisumi had placed himself out of the way, while Makoto, Asahi, and Hiyori took center stage. Those lavender eyes were already watching him encouragingly, and he passed Asahi a calming smile that Asahi returned before turning his attention back to what Makoto was saying.

"It's been several years in the making. A lot of school, a lot of research, a lot of hashing out logistics, and learning how to be grown-ups along the way, but we've made it here today, and we are so excited and grateful to have you all celebrating this with us. Thank you to all of you who have helped us build this company, literally and figuratively. Thank you to the parents who raised us, the siblings who stuck by us, Katsumi-oji-san," Makoto gestured a hand toward Kisumi's uncle in the front, "who helped us find the real estate for this place. Thank you to those of you who took the time to teach us, and support us, and give us much needed affirmations when we had our doubts. And most especially, thank you to our friends," Makoto gestured behind them, "Ikuya and Haru, for so selflessly investing so much of the earnings they've worked so hard for to get this company off the ground. And also, thank you, Ikuya and Haru, for investing your time and love into us as well, even though I'm sure you lost a lot of sleep because of us throughout the process."

The spectators gave a collective chuckle, while Makoto shared a meaningful smile with Haru behind him, who actually managed a barely-noticeable smile back. Whatever silent words of affection were spoken between their gazes were absorbed to their fullest, and Makoto turned back to rest a hand on Hiyori's shoulder.

"I will turn it over to my partner Toono Hiyori to explain a little bit about what it is we actually intend to do here."

Makoto handed Hiyori the mic, and he pushed up his glasses with a preparation huff before addressing the crowd. "For those of you who haven't heard this explanation yet, The Anchor is a rehabilitation center specifically focused on water-based convalescence as a healing source. We use aquatic therapy, hydrotherapy, mineral hot springs that we offer off-location, flotation therapy, group training, and exercise classes, among other services, for allowing the body natural support. Our hope is that we can open up a space for any and everybody who has been handicapped in any kind of way with a disability, an illness, an injury, or even mental or emotional trauma, who just need healing and inclusion. For anyone who wants to swim, but doesn't have the stamina to exert themselves. For anyone who needs support, while they gather the strength to face their lives. For anyone who is looking for an alternative or an additional option for recovery. That is what we offer here. At the least, all that we are looking to accomplish is to bring the hope back to anyone who might have lost it. At the most, we would love to bring people healing and change their lives for the better."

He adjusted his glasses again. "Unfortunately, I can't take credit for the initial idea of starting up this company. I just kind of threw myself into the mix and was allowed to participate. So, Shiina Asahi …"

Hiyori leaned around Makoto and held out the microphone with a smile. Asahi took it with a head nod, then lifted his gaze to the many eyes staring at him and set his shoulders back. He shrugged.

"Technically, I suppose I should give at least some credit to my former captain for sitting down with me and helping me figure out how to make myself useful." He winked to Seijuro in the midst of the crowd. The former captain grinned. "The truth is, it's a little bitter-sweet. The majority of you know why we're doing this, because it's not something that we can leave out of the equation, and we've been deliberate about telling this story to as many people as we can. For those of you who don't know, we're trying to make the most out of a situation that hurt us all incredibly deeply."

He paused, glanced to the side, then held out his hand, and waited for Kisumi to walk over and take it. They locked their fingers together, and Asahi met those shining purple eyes with a soft smile.

"This is Shigino Kisumi, the strongest person I know," he said. He didn't turn back to the crowd until he saw the gracious pull of Kisumi's lips turning up. "A little over six years ago, Kisumi's brother lost his battle with cancer. He was ten years old at the time, and had fought bravely for two years. It was …"

He found his brow dipping as he struggled for the right word. Not that he hadn't prepared himself for what he was going to say, or that he hadn't already spoken about this countless times, but even after six years, it was still difficult to look back on that time and not feel a pang of incredible grief. He tightened his hold on Kisumi's hand.

"… devastating," he said, blinking himself back into focus. "To have to watch someone so young go through something like that — there aren't really any words for it. And the loss took its toll on all of us, but most especially on his incredibly strong family."

Asahi glanced down to Kisumi's parents and waved for them to join them. They crossed behind the ribbon and stood slightly behind Kisumi on either side of him. Asahi smiled to himself when Genji's hands rested on his and Kisumi's shoulders. He continued.

"Shigino Hayato was a swimmer. Backstroke," he added, sparing a grinning glance at Makoto, who also smiled tenderly. "It took him some time initially, but after learning from the absolute best swim coach around," (Makoto giggled), "he really found his niche in swimming. He loved being in the water. And I like to think that, were he still here, he'd be another national prodigy in the making. However, after Hayato's diagnosis, he wasn't able to swim as much as he wanted to. He wasn't allowed to exert himself, didn't have the stamina, and after a while, his condition prevented him from swimming at all. I'm a swimmer myself, and I couldn't imagine having to give up being in the water because of circumstances that I can't control, and I don't want anyone else to have to go through that either. So, the idea for The Anchor came into play, and after years of studying, and talking, and trying to get along, here we are.

"There's a lot of technical, financial, business, science and research that goes into what we're doing here, and none of those are exactly the fields I thrive in. However, what I experienced with the Shiginos, and with my friends, and with my own family, during those two years, will have an impact on me for the rest of my life, and I can only hope to take everything bad about that situation, flip it on its head somehow, and …"

His gaze went out of focus for the briefest of moments as his eyes fell on Emi and her mom, and he thought about — saw himself sitting between her and Hayato at the clinic, wearing silly sunglasses and sipping on "coconut milk." His lips twitched with another fond smile.

"… turn it into a superpower. One where maybe I can give a little bit of strength and hope back to others." He squeezed Kisumi's hand again. "Especially for those who find themselves in a dark place and don't know how to find their way out. The Anchor is about tethering people to life, through something that we all love, and that Hayato loved most especially. So …" He turned his attention to the family of Shiginos next to him, looking each one of them in the eye.

"Hina-san, Genji-san, Kisumi. We didn't tell you about this, but we had a plaque made. It's on the wall above the front desk as soon as you go in, but we also got you a smaller version for your home."

He waved his hand behind him and Ikuya stepped up with a gift bag that he placed in Asahi's open palm. He then passed it over to Hina, who at first gaped at him with a little surprise, then with an encouraging nod from Asahi and her husband, she opened it and pulled the plaque out. Genji and Kisumi huddled close to her as they all read it silently to themselves first.

Kisumi was the first one to raise his eyes back to Asahi, a pull of raw emotion forming a crease on his brow. Asahi gazed back at him tenderly, but said nothing about it yet. Hina's eyes were welling up with tears, and she tipped her head to the side with a sad smile. Genji's ears were red. He rubbed a quiet hand up and down his wife's back, and looked over at Asahi. He offered Genji the microphone, and he took it to read what the plaque said out loud after clearing his throat.

"The Anchor Rehabilitation Center is dedicated to the memory of Shigino Hayato — Our friend and superhero, who touched every one of us with the power of inspiration and healing."

A collective aww echoed through the crowd, and then everyone cheered again. Hina hugged the plaque to her chest, and then both she and Genji encased Asahi with a trembling hug, whispering and sniffing their thanks for a good long while, before they moved around him to hug the other boys.

Kisumi was still standing where he was for a while, not having taken his eyes off of Asahi for a moment. He was frowning, but it wasn't so much a sad kind of frown as it was a touched kind. Asahi reached up to place an affectionate hand on his chest, and Kisumi responded to it by stepping forward and cupping Asahi's face in both hands. He gave him a long lingering kiss, full of grief and gratitude and an emotion so inexpressible, all he could do was press himself close with as much pressure as he could manage.

Asahi's hand slid up to his neck, unbothered by the audience they had. He kissed Kisumi back, and when they parted, it was only to wrap their arms around each other again and lean into one another's shoulders. Kisumi's palm dragged its way slowly up and down Asahi's back. Asahi's fingers gently carded through Kisumi's hair. And they breathed together for one small moment that hovered like infinity in their world.

"I love you, Shiina Asahi," Kisumi's voice whispered.

"I love you too, Shigino Kisumi." He closed his eyes as he turned his nose into Kisumi's hair and breathed in a deep pull of nostalgia. "Let's stay together forever."

Kisumi nodded. "I'd like that."